Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Given the team's current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees' overall future?

How can you not be at a 10? Best record in the AL and coasting into the playoffs. Can’t do any better than that. We forced the Sox to 14 innings with an AAA lineup and AAA relievers. They now have to go to Baltimore on little rest after playing a DH and Brian Matusz is not pitching. Rays have their best pitchers lined up for whatever putrid lineup we throw out there.

Sayid J.

You could not be at a 10 because you don’t like the thought of Nova, Colon, or Garcia pitching in the playoffs. Having the best record doesn’t necessarily imply having no flaws and unfailing confidence in the team.

gc

OK, how about this instead? Tell us your confidence level for the Yankees on a scale of 1-10, and then give us your confidence levels for Texas, Detroit, Boston and Tampa.

Sayid J.

Okay, but that’s not what the question is. You can be more confident than the other teams should be and still not be at a 10…

gc

It’s subjective anyway, so what you think is a ten might not be what someone else thinks. If they’re at a ten, good for them. I’m pretty much in agreement with all of your numbers below as well.

Ted Nelson

This. There’s no one scale.

To me a 10 represents being in the top 10th of MLB. A 9 in the next 10th. So on. Each 10th has 3 teams. So on my scale a 10 is very reasonable. Top 3 team. Could also see a 9 if you want to argue 3 of Phillies, Brewers, Rangers, or Tigers are ahead… I’d go with 10, though.

Sayid J.

But to answer the question. I voted 9 for the Yankees. I would vote 8 for Detroit and Texas, 7 .5 for Boston and 7 for the Rays.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

You nailed it right in the head Sayid. Remember 2006? Yankees had the best record in baseball that year and got bounced in the first round to the Tigers. Just because a team has the best record in their league doesn’t make them the cream of the crop so to speak.
Starting pitching killed the Yankees that year. I remember Randy Johnson and Jaret Wright started game 3 and game 4 respectively in Detroit. Yuck.

Also, “What’s your best pitch?” has earned the Yankees a 1/2 point penalty, but that expires after this week.

So I am a 9.4, but with a sense of concern regarding the playoff roster.

Carl LaFong

The Poll is about the Yankees overall future. That means more than just how they’re set up for this year or this post-season. Yeah, I’m unhappy w/the depth of starting pitching throughout the system even though we do have obvious prospects.

For me, unless & until the system is filled w can’t miss pitching prospects throughout, I can’t give it a 10. As it stands, w/Mo at 42 this winter, Arod in obvious decline, and clear holes in the pitching rotation, I can’t give this club more then a 6.

Andy In Sunny Daytona

LOL infinity at the 5.43 confidence rating on May 16th of this year.

Panicky Smurf.

Tiny Tim

And now we’ve got Hughes in the pen so the pen will be loaded up for the playoffs. Rotation-

ALDS-

CC
Nova
Garcia
CC – 3 days rest
Nova

ALCS and WS-

CC
Nova
Garcia
CC – 3 days rest
Colon/AJ
Nova
CC – 3 days rest

David, Jr.

Still at a 9. It was a week of many positives, all of which could be important for them going forward:

Masterful job by Girardi, who should be Manager of the Year. They win the AL East, have the most wins in the AL, and will still be healthy and rested to make their run at the World Series. It doesn’t get any better than this at this stage of a season.

Not afraid of Detroit, the Sux, Tampa, Texas or anybody else in the AL. Ready to get it on with this team.

CBean

I love that we clinch the division and HFA and there are still people at 1.

http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig

Sox trolls.

David, Jr.

How could anybody be lower than an 8? They win by far the toughest division in baseball by something like eight games. They are the Vegas consensus second favorite to win the World Series. What am I missing?

Yank The Frank

Red Sox trolls…it’s all they have left.

theyankeewarrior

If you’re not confident in the way this team is being run then leave this site and move to Russia.

Let’s go Rays.

http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig

SSS but a 4-11 record in Extra innings kinda sucks.

bonestock94

So random though

CP

I don’t think you should count last night, though.

Girardi clearly brought in Proctor to end the game so they could get to Tampa sooner.

MannyGeee

you know whats funny? this ran through my mind.

“WTF are we doing out here at 11:30PM with nothing to gain? Get the Proctogist out there, and call the Charter Service and have them warm the plane up…..”

Woodrow Sweats

the Proctologist i think you meant…

Foghorn Leghorn

Pedroia qualifies as a Red Sox troll doesn’t he?

NJ_Andy

Think a billy goat would kick his butt?

Yank The Frank

Pedroia qualifies as a lawn jockey.

NJ_Andy

I went eight, but more due to long-term concerns than anything.

Tex, A-Rod, and Jeter won’t last forever and their declines/injuries are disturbing given the length of their contracts. Hughes set-back this year was upsetting, and I don’t need to mention AJ.

Rotation concerns are always worrisome, because you can’t count on scrap heap performances like Colon & Garcia every year.

CP

Next year the Yankees have the following rotation (assuming they keep CC):

1. CC
2. Nova
3. Hughes
4. AJ
5. Noesi

6. Banuelos
7. Warren
8. Betances
9. Brackman
10. Phelps
11. Mitchell

I expect that they’ll get a #2 to slot in behind CC, whether through FA (CJ Wilson) or by packaging some of their depth. Either way, I don’t think they’ll need to rely on scrap heap pickups for the next few years.

NJ_Andy

I think Nova’s playing over his head, so I’m not ready to trust him as #2. He generates way too much contact for my taste. If Hughes comes back and pitches effectively, I’ll be thrilled and my confidence will rebound. I’m just skeptical. If he’s good out of the bullpen, I think he may stay there next season. AJ is a #5 in my book, but that’s really just quibbling.

You’re probably right that they pick somebody up, but until that actually happens I’m slightly concerned. We were all counting on Lee, and see how that turned out. You can’t predict baseball, as they say.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Not to nitpick or anything. But in your 6-11 spots I’d have Warren and Phelps ahead of both Banuelos and Betances because they’re both pretty damn close to being major league ready. But I agree with your main five.

http://www.twitter.com/brandonholley B-Rando

I would not include Jeter or Tex in the decline statement. Jeter had a really solid year after a miserable start. I think we’d all like to see Tex hit at a higher AVG, but what he provides currently is more than satisfactory: switch-hitting pop, gold glove defense, and is generally very healthy and reliable.

NJ_Andy

Jeter’s OBP is 30 points below his career average and his SLG is 50 points below. His fielding isn’t getting any better, and he’ll be older in each of his next three years.

I’m not saying he’s dead, just that he’s declining.

Tex’s OBP is also 30 points below career norms, and his SLG is also 50 points down. While his ISO is relatively stable, his OBP has dropped each of the last three years.

Again, he’s not dead. He’s a valuable guy on the team, for now. But looking over the rest of his contract, I have concerns. He’s going to be around for a long time, he can’t afford to keep dropping.

A-Rod, for comparison’s sake, has a higher WAR than either of them this season–despite playing in far fewer games and posting the worst ISO of his career as a starter. His decline is more noticable because he had a higher peak than either of them, but all three aren’t exactly going out of their way to raise Yankee confidence.

Ted Nelson

Teixiera is only 31… everyone ages differently, but to assume he’s in an irreversible decline seems very premature.

While Jeter and A-Rod age, you have Granderson, Cano, Teixiera, Swisher/replacement RF, Gardner, Montero, Nunez… all in their primes or at an age where they should be ascending. It’s about how good the offense as a whole is. The offense has proven it can handle bad seasons from Jeter and the DH position over the past two years plus missed time by A-Rod… and still be a top offense.

Ted Nelson

Of course we can’t predict what will happen in the future, but I would not assume the roster is going to be stagnant. As A-Rod declines, for example, Montero will hopefully ascend.

Big $ acquisitions don’t always work out, but the Yankees can be in on big free agents and trade targets without even necessarily increasing payroll as contracts (Posada and Marte, Mo and Swisher and Feliciano, Jeter and Soriano…) come off the books… there are a lot of starters who can hit the market that are not scrap heap guys and a Matt Kemp might make a nice replacement for Swisher. Plus they’ve got a top farm system that will hopefully be producing cost controlled talent like Montero, Romine, Banuelos, Betances, Brackman, Noesi, Warren, Phelps, Mitchell… in the short-term and Sanchez, Mason Williams, Bichette, Murphy, Slade, Bird, Cave… a few years down the line.

David, Jr.

Ouch! When you said Mo coming off of the books, that was very painful.

bonestock94

8, feeling good about the team in general. Pitching situation isn’t perfect, but it wasn’t in 09 either.

JT

Let’s hope the Orioles step on Boston’s throat this week and further crush their hopes and morale. That team can definitely be dangerous if they do make their way in to the playoffs.

Foghorn Leghorn

I was disappointed with the loss last night but its only because the yanks had a 3-0 lead after one when I turned on the game. If they were losing or no score then I would’ve felt differently. I just want to bury the sox and knock them out.

But to nearly sweep them is pretty amazing. I’m still in disbelief that the yanks have clinched the playoffs, division and home field with at least 5 games to go. This was supposed to go down to the wire, right?

Every extra inning furthers the Sox problems. The bullpen was heavily used and now the starters are all going on short rest vs. the O’s.

Matuz also pitched yesterday so the Sox won’t have him to kick around!

Let’s go Rays! Let’s go O’s!

I know the Rays are probalby tougher than the Sox at this point but if the Sox miss the playoffs it shuts up a lot of silly people and puts 2004 way behind us. AND, it probably means some crazy off season overeaction moves by the Sox, which could be very amusing to watch.

Yank The Frank

I agree 100%. A 2011 Soxless playoff would make 2004 less painful and a good rebuttle to any Sox fan when it is brought up.

Alibaba

9. They are playing like a winner, even when sitting half of the team!

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

I’m at an 8, just about a 9. Not 100% confident in the rotation. But whatever. It’s not like Texas’, Boston’s, or Detroit’s don’t have problems themselves. But other than that I think the Yankees have the best offense and bullpen.

http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

Staying at 8.

Foghorn Leghorn

and it continues to get worse for the Sox…the press is all over Lackey for his divorce filing….

Sarah

That guy is a class act.

Foghorn Leghorn

of course he is…all Red Sox players are class acts.

LarryM.,Fl.

I have finally hit 9. Lets just say, “I could never be reach a confidence level of 10.” Its just not in the makeup.

This team has much going for it. The incorporation of Montero into the lineup has added more offensive punch that we may withstand a weak playoff performance from Arod. Its obvious that Arod cannot drive the baseball as of now. Jorge/Montero at DH can be a plus. The lineup should be able to hit enough to give the starters the cushion to survive 5 or 6 innings then give to the bullpen. Our second best feature on this team. The way the Yanks have done against lefties this year 35-16 best guess has me believing that any team who wants to load up lefties just adds power to our lineup. Montero is the real deal. I mean he’s not a polished professional baseball player in 4/5’s of his game but the kid hits. The kid does hit. Watching the team play against the Rays and Sox’s reinforces my confidence.

Joe Girardi and has a game plan and knows what he’s doing. Mr. Binder is OK in my book. He’s handle Posada and Burnett is a great manner which is only helpful IMHO.

I believe this team can go all the way! yes, indeed.

Woodrow Sweats

gotta agree on Girardi’s management… AJ a nightmare, and Posada’s and aging icon… those can be huge landmines to try to avoid… and he’s done it well while not destroying anyone in the bullpen… keep it up, kid…

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

The only way I’ll be at a 10 is if I think the Yankees are the clear favorites to win the World Series, or if they win the World Series.

David, Jr.

Of course any team would be a 10 if they won the World Series, but ranking before that, what you said is exactly the way that I think about it. A 10 would be a clear World Series favorite. A 9 would be a strong but maybe slightly flawed contender. An 8 would be a playoff team that I would expect to exit quickly. A 7 would be a near miss playoff team.

If a ranking is for this year, which I have always stipulated (although I forgot to say that this time), you need to look at it against the current competition, which I do not regard as overwhelming at all.

Looking at Detroit, Texas and a potential wildcard, they are an easy 9.

MannyGeee

Moving from an 8 to a 9 this week, and that is based solely on AJs last start and Montero’s SSS success.

AJavierkei Pavagawnett

The Yankees are clearly a much better team than the Rangers, Rays, and Sox.

I am afraid of the Tigers in a short series. I would not like the idea of seeing Verlander and Fister 4 times in 5 games. Hopefully the Angels play the Rangers tough in the final 3 games.

JobaWockeeZ

Nothing changed. 6 this year, 8 for the future.

Monteroisdinero

8.

Afraid of top flight pitching against our disappearing free swinging power hitters.

Love Montero and hope he has a good enough hitter behind him so he gets good pitches to hit.

Concerned about bunts vs steals and hit and runs which are both better plays.

Btw, it would have been neat if Golson got picked off intentionally at 1B in the 13th with Cano trying to score during the rundown. Better than depending on a 2 out hit by Gardy. Out of the box but would have put alot of pressure on the Sux.

Mickey Scheister

The momentum over the past week has been great. The team is playing good baseball, for the most part. I can’t wait until the games matter again. Up from a 6 last week to an 8 this week. I could care less which other AL east team makes it into the postseason. I just want the Yanks to keep playing this brand of ball.